Christmas in July

Consolidated Credit Recommends Savings Strategies to Prepare for the Holidays

July 25, 2013 Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. – Winter is the busiest shopping season due to the holidays and accounts for up to 30 percent of retailers’ annual sales. Consolidated Credit reports a drastic increase in consumer credit spending during the holidays and provides strategies to avoid potential debt.

Having sufficient funds to cover holiday expenses is critical for families. Preparation is the key factor in avoiding post-holiday debt problems. Although it may seem entirely too early, July is the perfect time to start budgeting and buying for Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanza. It gives ample time for people to reflect not only their gifts, but also for decorations and travel expenses.

Last year, the National Retail Federation predicted the average consumer to spend $749.51 on holiday expenses. Experts believe this year’s spending to increase slightly because of recent improvements in consumer spending and growth categories.

Consolidated Credit recommends the following strategies to prepare for the holidays:

Make a list and start early – By preparing and following a list, consumers can avoid buying items that weren’t planned for, allowing them to stick to a budget. Shopping now for gifts insures good prices because consumers have time to comparison shop and wait for sales.

Holiday fund – By the end of November, consumers should have enough savings set aside for holiday gifts and decorations. All items should be paid for in cash to avoid credit charges.

Utilize social media – Retailers are turning to social media sites to promote their sales. Like and follow different brands to take advantage of coupons and deals.

Shop Online – Almost any product can be bought online, and it’s usually at an equal or lower price than in stores. Take advantage of exclusive online deals from trusted retailers. You may even qualify for free shipping.

Reuse and Recycle– Holiday decorations from previous years should be reused or altered to be given a fresh look. There are lots of “Do It Yourself” projects that can make holiday decorating fun, cheap and easy.

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calls from Consolidated Credit from a live agent, artificial or prerecorded voice,
and/or SMS text (standard cellular rates may apply) at my residential or cellular
number, dialed manually or by autodialer. I understand that I am under no obligation
to purchase anything.